A spring element for vehicle suspensions is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,781,365 and 4,690,388. The essential features of this spring element are described in the first paragraphs of the respective disclosures.
The outer contour of the rubber body of the known spring element is smooth. Because of continuously alternating vertical forces, the support surface of the rubber body increases and decreases. The rubber body rolls off on the lower support because of the additionally introduced horizontal forces. Both result in relative movements between the rubber and the support and therefore in friction and wear of the rubber.